Logan's Duck and Pony Show
by kmd0107
Summary: Originally posted as part of a VM holiday gift exchange fic on AO3. Set post MKAT - important conversations and some fun with Pony. Everyone ends up wet.


Logan's Duck and Pony Show

 **by KMD0107**

Originally posted on AO3 as part of a group fic for the VM gift exchange 2014. Go check the others out on AO3 :)

Setting: post-MKAT - Pony takes Logan and Veronica for a swim

Logan woke up to the soft sleep sounds of his two favorite girls. Veronica was wrapped in his arms, her warm breath puffing against the inside of his wrist, her cheek cupped in his hand. Pony's long body was curled into a ball that somehow fit into the crook of Logan's bent knees. He was more cramped than in his bunk on ship but he couldn't think of anywhere he'd rather be. _Man it's good to be home_.

Careful not to disturb either of them, a truly acrobatic feat, Logan slipped out into the kitchen and started putting together everything he would need to make pancakes and bacon. The bright spring sun shone in through the eastern facing windows of their small living room. It was going to be a beautiful Saturday and Logan had every intention of taking advantage of it. He had the day all planned out, which in and of itself made him nervous. Their plans had a tendency to turn into disasters.

As Logan pulled the last of the pancakes off the griddle, he could hear Veronica saying good morning to Pony, and the shuffle of six feet heading his way.

Veronica sleepily stumbled into the living room of _their_ apartment wearing one of his Navy t-shirts and nothing else. It was near the top of his list of favorite sights.

"Good morning." Veronica said, still blinking sleep from her eyes, "Hey, whatcha got there?" Her face lit up at the short stack and pile of bacon Logan set in front of her. "Points for effort sailor, but I was hoping for something a bit friskier this morning."

"I do hate to disappoint." Logan untied the ' _never fry bacon naked_ ' apron he'd been wearing and dropped it to the floor, revealing its necessity. "Frisky enough for you?" He winked and moved to grab the hem of the t-shirt she was wearing with one hand and picked her plate up with the other.

He pulled her in close, kissing her forehead, while walking backwards to set her plate in the oven with the rest of the pancakes and bacon. Both hands finally free, he slid his hands down her ass and to the back of her thighs, putting pressure there to let her know what he wanted. In response, she lifted her legs to wrap them around his waist. He pressed her lower back against the doorway of the kitchen and pulled the t-shirt up and off, tossing it aside. _Now for my favorite sight,_ Logan moaned as Veronica ground her hot core against him. Kissing her quickly, Logan pulled them away from the doorway and nuzzled into her neck as he walked them back to their bedroom…

After a pleasantly delayed breakfast, they were finally showered, dressed, and fed.

"Are my girls up for a little adventure today?" Logan watched Veronica, who was sprawled on their living room rug rubbing Pony's tummy.

Veronica looked up from her task, brow quirked, "That depends, what kind of adventure?"

"The kind where I get some of your undivided attention." Logan smirked.

"Hmm, I dunno. _Undivided_ attention isn't really my forte. But I _guess_ it has been almost three months so I'll make an exception this once." Veronica's eyes sparkled.

 _What on earth have I gotten myself into?_ Veronica wondered as Logan drove the BMW up a winding road. "Logan? Where are we?"

"You'll see soon enough. I promise you'll like it." His eyes remained on the road but Veronica could see the slight rise of his lips.

 _I'll just bet I'm going to like it._ She thought sarcastically. She reached down for her messenger bag and pulled out her cell phone. There were no new messages, calls, or service bars…

"You did this on purpose!" She exclaimed.

"I'm sure I have no idea what you're talking about." Logan deadpanned, but Veronica saw that telltale rise of lips as he turned his eyes back to the road.

"I have no reception. You knew my phone wouldn't work here." She snapped, throwing the useless phone back in her bag. She rolled her shoulders, getting ready for a fight.

"Too late now Mars. I've got you where I want you: unable to communicate with the outside world." Logan let out a villainous laugh.

Veronica wrapped her arms across her chest. She did not appreciate that he didn't tell her there wouldn't be cell service. What if they needed her at the office? She huffed her frustration.

"Alright Echolls you've got me where you want me, what's this all about?"

"We have some decisions to make."

"We? What decision do _we_ have to make?" She asked a little curtly.

" _We_ need to talk about what comes next."

"What does that mean?" Veronica turned to glare at Logan and caught sight of their destination. It was a beautiful little lake full of ducks and geese with what looked like a trail that wrapped around it. There were a few other cars in the small dirt parking area but she couldn't see any people as they pulled into the lot. _He did say he wanted my undivided attention, and Pony is going to love a walk around this lake. But…_

"It means I have 'demonstrated leadership qualities that would be suited to promotion.' And I want to talk to you about it."

"What does _that_ mean?" Veronica frowned, shaking her head she looked down at her lap, "I don't know what you want me to say, Logan. It's your career; it's your decision."

Logan let out a loud breath as he put the car into park, "No, Veronica it isn't just my decision. If I re-enlist it impacts both of us."

"It's not like you included me in your last career decision." She snapped. "And anyway isn't that at least a year away? Why do we have to talk about this now?" Veronica knew she sounded whiny but this was a conversation she had, more-or-less successfully, avoided for the past year.

Logan turned the ignition off and turned to face her. His face was creased with new lines and a maturity Veronica was still getting used to.

Logan reached out and traced the line of her cheek gently, "Don't be like this Veronica. I know you're still not happy I chose to go but it was the right thing to do. And you know it." Logan dropped his hand and turned away from Veronica to get out of the sports car.

He was right of course. They both knew all about making right choices, wrong choices too. Was it fair to hold this against him still? _Probably not…_

Veronica could see Logan's set jaw as he turned around to let Pony out of the back. _Still able to push each others buttons… check_. Logan turned to put Pony's leash on; the muscles across his broad shoulders tight under his heather grey henley.

Veronica pushed her door open, "Logan wait! You're right. I just…" Veronica didn't know how to finish. "I just… I guess I'm being a bit," she coughed, "…unreasonable." She sighed looking out at the lake.

Logan came around the car with Pony in tow, "Hmm… I don't know that I'd say _unreasonable_ as much as… evasive, maybe contrary…"

"Flyboys. Bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch." She smirked at him.

"You shouldn't call yourself that," he smiled and kneeled down to rub Pony's ears. "But if you insist, I want you to know you're _my_ bitch, well my bitches."

"Hey, watch what you call my baby girl!" She jested, kneeling down and scooting between Logan and Pony. Veronica leaned into Logan and turned her head to look up at him. Logan's pupils were blown out with lust and Veronica licked her lips in anticipation. He didn't keep her waiting; she felt his lips press firmly against hers. His tongue swiping across the crease caused her to moan, giving him entrance. Their kiss deepened and Logan wrapped his arms around Veronica tightly.

Sooner than he wanted, Logan broke their kiss and pulled Veronica up to her feet. "Ready to show me all those new leash skills our _little_ girl has." Logan smiled warmly, trying to put their disagreement on the back burner for the moment.

With a grin Veronica took the leash, "Heel Pony."

Pony moved her big gangly body next to Veronica and waited for her next command.

"Come on Echolls. We don't have all day." She was still smiling as she turned to start walking with Pony toward the trailhead.

Logan watched for a moment and then took a few big steps to catch up with them. Pony walked next to Veronica like a champ. Logan couldn't help but admire them both. He'd missed them so much over the last few months. _Skype's great, but it just doesn't compare to being able to touch them, cuddle in bed with them, kiss… well kiss Veronica_ , he chuckled to himself.

"What's so funny, flyboy?" Veronica turned to look at Logan, a huge smile on her face.

Her smile turned to a look of shock as Pony took off toward the lake. Veronica was pulled off balance and, before Logan could reach out for her or the leash, Pony was pulling Veronica down the short incline toward the ducks that were basking in the late morning sun.

"Pooony heeel!" Veronica shrieked as Pony pulled her into the lake, ducks and geese fleeing in a shower of feathers.

Logan rushed after them and found himself waist deep in the lake before he reached Veronica and the leash. He reached for the leash only to have Pony surge forward again and pull him fully into the water.

"Pony! Heel!" Logan and Veronica shouted in unison. This seemed to get the giant puppy's attention and she bounded back to them soaking wet and with a few feathers sticking to her face. With Pony finally back under control, they headed back to shallower water.

"Um… Logan you know how I said Pony was great at the whole walking on a leash thing…" she laughed.

"Yes dear. I remember quite clearly you telling me all about it."

"I may have exaggerated Pony's um… _proficiency_."

"You don't say Sugarpuss?" Logan snorted, clearly trying to contain his laughter. He tried to blink away the water dripping into his eyes but quickly gave up and shook his head instead, eliciting giggles—actual giggles—from Veronica.

"Now I know who Pony inherited up her grooming habits from."

Despite Logan's efforts, water continued to drip into his eyes as he looked at Veronica and Pony. Veronica's thin tank tops weren't leaving much to the imagination at this point. And Pony looked so pleased with herself, ready to go bounding after another duck if they let their attention drift again.

"Come on, let's get back to the car. I think I left a couple of beach towels in the back." Veronica saw Logan leering at her, looked down and sighed; apparently realizing her mistake of only layering two tank tops. "Stop it. We're in public. Save that look for when we get back home to change." She winked at him.

"Actually, Veronica. Before we go um…" Logan pushed his short, still dripping hair back, "maybe we can walk a little further and try talking again. I know we're both wet but…"

"I'm feeling a little exposed here," she indicated her pebbled nipples. "Can't we talk later, babe?"

He'd heard 'later' too many times though, and as much as he wanted to get her home as quickly as possible, there were other pressing things to be dealt with. He pulled his sopping wet Henley over his head, wrung it out the best he could and passed it to Veronica. She accepted, and stared appreciatively at his bare chest, giving him that half smirk of hers as she pulled it over her head.

Veronica leaned down to rub Pony's ears, "Daddy's a brave man Pony. Are you sure we have to talk about this, Logan?"

"Yes, we have to talk about this." Logan looked around and spotted a bench. He reached for Pony's leash and took Veronica's hand. "Come on, just hear me out."

Logan settled Veronica on to the bench next to him and wrapped his arm around her, pulling her in close, while Pony curled up at their feet.

"Let's start over, okay?" Logan could feel Veronica's cheek rub against his bare chest as she nodded. "We have some decisions to make about our future. "

"What does that mean?" She said softly and without the edge her voice had held earlier in the car.

"It means I love you. It means I want you to help me make this decision Veronica. I don't think we've ever talked about how important it is for my career that I get posts where I'm flying."

Veronica gave him a confused look, "What do you mean? You're a pilot; why would they give you a job where you don't fly?"

Logan placed a soft kiss on Veronica's forehead. He knew he should have explained this better before he'd left to replace 'Bilbo.' "It doesn't always work that way. Sometimes there aren't openings, the timing is wrong, or you just aren't good enough. But to keep advancing on the career path I'm interested in I have to keep flying. I was lucky for my shore tour. I got to stay here and do flight diagnostics. Do you remember when I explained about fitreps and how I've been getting good rankings?"

"I remember." Veronica replied softly her breath warm on his skin.

"Going back on ship early wasn't just the right thing to do personally," he hoped she remembered their talk on the beach before he left, "it was the right thing professionally, if I re-enlist."

"If you re-enlist?" Veronica said in a small voice.

"Yes, Veronica, _if_ I re-enlist. Like I tried to tell you earlier, this is a big decision. There's a lot to discuss. I want you to be a part of this."

"But it's your career."

"Yes, but my career impacts _our_ lives. What if my next posting is in Texas? Or I get chosen to go to the War College? I can request to be in San Diego but there are no guarantees, especially since we're not married. They won't consider you at all when making my next assignment." He frowned at the thought; how was it that two most important things in his life could be so at odds?

"I can't just move. Wait, what are you saying? Would they consider my career if we were… married?"

"Honestly, not very much but it can help. And even if they offered me something here it might require that I take a non-aviator job." Logan leaned his cheek against the top of her head and pulled her in tighter trying to prepare himself. "What if I had to move somewhere else? If I reenlist, that is a very real possibility. Maybe not immediately, but reenlisting is an eight year commitment and once that's over I'd only be four years from the twenty mark. You don't drop your letter at that point. That means that over the next few years I would probably have to relocate at least twice, that doesn't include deployments, and who knows how many more times over the next twelve or so years."

Veronica turned her face fully into his chest, her next words barely audible, more a vibration against his skin. "What if you didn't reenlist?"

"I have options." He brushed his hand up and down her back. "Companies like Boeing hire guys like me, commercial airlines, stuff like that."

"What do you want?"

"There are a lot of things I want. I want to have a job I love. I want to be home with you every night. I want to help you finish leash training Pony." He laughed softly. "I want our life."

"I want that, too."

"Well, that's a start. We don't have to decide today but… Veronica, I need you to promise that we'll keep talking about this."

Veronica shifted her head back, meeting Logan's eyes. Her arms reached to wrap around his neck. Logan could feel her nails dragging gently through his hair and the heat of her body even through the wet shirts. He leaned down to meet her lips and pulled her into his lap. The movement startled Pony out of her nap and broke the moment.

Veronica laughed at Logan's disappointed sigh as she got to her feet. She reached her hand out for his, "Let's go home, order some takeout and continue this conversation." She closed her eyes and put her fingers to her temples, "I see a pro and con list of epic proportions in our future."

With a big smile Logan took Veronica's hand and spun her into his chest, "Yeah, epic."


End file.
